7. The Capture of Gennep

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7. The Capture of Gennep

For a long time, it appeared as if Gennep would remain untouched by the swirl of battle during the Second World War. This quickly changed when the River Maas became the temporary border between the battling sides. The Allies captured the town at the beginning of 1945. In this way, Gennep became the prologue of the Rhineland Offensive.

War reporting is of all ages, and goes back even to the highly detailed descriptions of Roman battles. The first Gulf War was brought into our homes thanks to Peter Arnett and CNN News. During the Second World War the British and Americans had their war reporters with them, who recorded their accounts in writing or with the camera.

The Allies finally captured the small town of Gennep early in 1945. The capture of Gennep was essential to open the way for the advance towards Goch and the heart of Germany. The attack on Gennep would be the start of what later became known as the Rhineland Offensive.

The Rhineland Offensive would in the end make possible the total liberation of Limburg, Gelderland, the Lower Rhine area, and then finally the whole of Western Europe. Unimaginable numbers and quanities of personnel, vehicles, munitions, fuel and supplies were transported to the area. The border region became the key to the end of the Second World War. Never before had an offensive of such magnitude been launched from Dutch territory.